Sustainable Development

 Sustainable Development - The need of the hour

Development of a nation is a must. There must be all round progress so that people can lead a comfortable life. The basic requirements of a person are food, shelter and clothing. With the increase in population coupled with overall progress in the industrial field, natural resources are getting depleted day by day. Environmental pollution adds to the miseries.

While meeting the demands of the present, there must be sufficient resources so that the future generation can lead a comfortable life. This is called the sustainable development. The issue of sustainable development was discussed in detail at the Earth Summit held at Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) in 1992. In addition to the increase in production, the protection of environment  and conservation of natural resources are extremely important.

Strategies for sustainable development

The suggested strategies are:

-       Use locally available materials

-       Adopt the 3 R (Reduce, Recyle, Reuse) approach

-       In order to inculcate a sense of awareness, educate the general public

the steps to be followed for a sustainable living

Conservation of Resources

The main natural resources are: Water, Energy and Land.

Water: is a very important natural resource. This is required for humans and animals. Water is required for drinking, cooking, washing, toilets, agriculture and industries. A recent study has revealed that while the rainfall is reducing, the atmospheric temperature is rising. At the same time, the demand is increasing with the increase in population. Steps should be taken to reduce the wastage of water in the domestic and industrial sectors. As far as irrigation of agricultural crops are concerned, drip irrigation should be practiced. The suggested steps for conservation are:

-       Leakage of water should be identified and repaired immediately

-       Taps should be closed when not in use

-       The waste water should be treated and reused for gardening and washing floor.

-       Arrangements should be made for rain water harvesting

-       Losses in irrigation water should be reduced by lining of canals and by adopting drip irrigation

Energy: We can’t imagine a life without energy. It is required for domestic, industrial and agricultural purposes. The suggested steps for conservation of energy are:

-       Switch off lights and fans when not in use

-       Use CFL lamps and tube lights

-       Use pressure cooker

-       Keep the vessel covered with a lid when cooking

Land: Land is largely covered with forests, wet lands, grass lands, agricultural lands and human settlements. Land gets degraded due to soil erosion, water logging, salinity, desertification and various developmental activities. The suggested steps for soil conservation are:

-       Slow down the movement of water when it flows along a slope

-       Have more vegetation cover

-       Adopt afforestation

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